Agilent Technologies to Develop 1-GHz NMR Spectrometer

Agilent Technologies Inc. has announced that it is developing a series of new ultra-high-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometers at 850 MHz and 1GHz.

“Agilent Technologies is committed to working closely with our customers and partners to develop next-generation NMR technology,” said Nick Roelofs, president of Agilent’s Life Sciences Group.

Roelofs continued, “The gigahertz project will leverage the company’s full capabilities in magnet and probe design, electronic measurement and systems integration to deliver world class performance for researchers working to understand the structure and dynamics of macromolecules.”

As part of its strategy to expand NMR applications, Agilent has also entered into a comarketing agreement with Bridge12 Technologies. Bridge12 is a provider of terahertz technology, a critical component for an emerging application known as dynamic nuclear polarization.

DNP can significantly improve measurement sensitivity for solid-state samples. The co-marketing agreement enables the commercialization of DNP NMR systems, including Bridge12’s terahertz gyrotron and transmission line system.

“The Bridge12 team is very excited about the collaboration with Agilent,” said Dr. Jagadishwar Sirigiri, founder of Bridge12 Technologies. “Our gyrotrons for DNP-NMR systems are turnkey, low-maintenance, and designed specifically for the requirements of the NMR community.”

These projects are significant milestones toward establishing Agilent as a technology leader in nuclear magnetic resonance. In addition to its expanded Center of Excellence in Santa Clara, Calif., the company is building an ultra-high-field demonstration facility at its Magnet Technology Centre in Yarnton, England.

The Santa Clara center is currently open, while the facility in Yarnton will open in September. Both are designed to give customers  hands-on experience with the newest NMR systems throughout the development process.